Jermain Defoe is expected to arrive in Canada this weekend to complete his transfer to Toronto FC from Tottenham Hotspur. The England international will put the finishing touches to his move to North America for an MLS record transfer fee, in excess of $10 million, and earn himself a bumper pay packet thought to be around $150,000 a week.

Defoe's signing will end a long courtship between the club and player which included London meetings with team management back in October, his mother being hosted by the club for a week in Toronto last fall, and phone calls from rapper Drake to help persuade Defoe to make the move.

News of Toronto FC's interest in the striker was first revealed on MLS on TSN in October, and at the time, my colleague Kristian Jack asked TFC Head Coach Ryan Nelsen about his interest in signing his former Spurs teammate:

"Jermain Defoe in this league? Look what Di Vaio has done! My goodness - incredible player," Nelsen raved. "One of the most natural goal scorers I have ever come across. Always out training, always trying to score, a great guy. To get a guy like Defoe for MLS, I cannot think of many that are more suited. It would be incredible," he said.

While Defoe has been out of favour at Tottenham this season and has seen only limited playing time, he still has ambitions of making England's squad for this year's World Cup in Brazil. He has scored 19 goals in 55 appearances for his country and was involved throughout the recent World Cup Qualifying campaign.

Once the deal is completed, it is likely he will head back to England on loan for a couple of months. He could be loaned back to Spurs, but there is also a possibility he will return to his former club West Ham United. When he does pull on the Red jersey, he will join a squad that has been undergoing a significant and impressive remake under new General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko.